When the Big East raided Conference USA for some of the league's best teams after the 2005 season, the raid left Conference USA in a state of disarray.
C-USA had routinely put four teams in the NCAA Tournament since its inception in 1995, but the NCAA Tournament stalwarts from the conference were Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and Memphis.
Suddenly, three of the teams Conference USA hung its hat on were gone.
After three years of receiving a total of four NCAA Tournament berths (three of which belong to Memphis), Conference USA is making a comeback in the 2008-2009 season.
The league is arguably the strongest it's been since the Big East went pillaging three years ago.
As many as four different teams have legitimate NCAA Tournament hopes, while several more should be planning to go dancing in the NIT.
Teams That Could be Headed to a Four-Letter Tournament
Memphis
The Tigers have dominated Conference USA since Louisville, Cincinnati, Marquette, and South Florida bailed on the league. Memphis has won 42 consecutive league games and has lost only one game against C-USA competition in the past three years.
John Calipari's program is a pipeline for professional talent, sending three players to the NBA last year alone.
This year, things are a bit different for Calipari. He's got the weapons to run his dribble-drive motion offense, but those weapons aren't nearly as deadly as years past.
Memphis lacks depth in the frontcourt and can't really hit free throws again, but that doesn't mean this team won't be very good.
The Tigers have one of the best freshmen in the country in Tyreke Evans, super senior Antonio Anderson, who flirted with the NBA draft last year, and two stud big men in Shawn Taggart and Robert Dozier.
Memphis is the best team in Conference USA, but just barely. The Tigers will win the conference and head to the NCAA Tournament as a five seed.
UAB
Mike Davis finally has the Blazers ready to compete with Memphis. It's taken him two years since he took over the program from Mike Anderson before the 2006 season.
The Blazers have an extremely talented nucleus of players, headlined by one of the best streak shooters in the country, Robert Vaden. Just ask Kentucky what he can do when he gets hot.
Vaden won't have to do it all himself.
Fifth-year senior Paul Delaney III can really score. After blowing out his knee last year, Delaney is back, healthy, and scoring. Delaney is averaging 17 points per game and knocking down six free throws per game so far.
Forward Lawrence Kinnard is averaging almost a double-double, but can also step out and hit a three.
UAB isn't quite as talented as Memphis, at least on paper, but the Blazers should challenge the Tigers for the league crown.
UAB should make it into the NCAA Tournament as a seven or eight seed.
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